Alliance
Encyclopedia
An alliance is an agreement
or friendship
between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.
See also military alliance and business alliance
.
, the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance
, signed in 1373 between the Kingdom of England
(succeeded by the United Kingdom
) and Portugal
, is the oldest alliance in the world which is still in force.
Agreement
Agreement may refer to:* Agreement or concord, cross-reference between parts of a phrase* Gentlemen's agreement, not enforceable by law* Contract, enforceable in a court of law...
or friendship
Friendship
Friendship is a form of interpersonal relationship generally considered to be closer than association, although there is a range of degrees of intimacy in both friendships and associations. Friendship and association are often thought of as spanning across the same continuum...
between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.
See also military alliance and business alliance
Business alliance
A business alliance is an agreement between businesses, usually motivated by cost reduction and improved service for the customer. Alliances are often bounded by a single agreement with equitable risk and opportunity share for all parties involved and are typically managed by an integrated project...
.
International relations
In international relationsInternational relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
, the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance
Anglo-Portuguese Alliance
The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, ratified at the Treaty of Windsor in 1386, between England and Portugal is claimed to be the oldest alliance in the world which is still in force — with the earliest treaty dating back to the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373.This alliance, which goes back to the...
, signed in 1373 between the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
(succeeded by the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, is the oldest alliance in the world which is still in force.
- Holy AllianceHoly AllianceThe Holy Alliance was a coalition of Russia, Austria and Prussia created in 1815 at the behest of Czar Alexander I of Russia, signed by the three powers in Paris on September 26, 1815, in the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon.Ostensibly it was to instill the Christian values of...
, coalition of Russia, Austria and Prussia created in 1815 - Quadruple AllianceQuadruple AllianceThe term "Quadruple Alliance" refers to several historical military alliances; none of which remain in effect.# The Quadruple Alliance of August 1673 was an alliance between the Holy Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Spain, Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine, and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, in...
- Triple Alliance (disambiguation)
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty
Political organizations
- Alberta Alliance PartyAlberta Alliance PartyThe Alberta Alliance was a right wing provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Many of its members were former supporters of the now-defunct Canadian Alliance federal political party and its predecessor, the Reform Party of Canada. Members also joined from such other provincial fringe parties...
, a small right-wing political party in Alberta, Canada that existed from 2002 until merging to form the Wildrose Alliance Party in 2008 (see below) - Social Democratic Alliance, political party in Iceland
- Alliance (New Zealand), left-wing political party in New Zealand
- Alliance 90Alliance 90Alliance 90 was an alliance of three non-Communist political groups in East Germany. It merged with the German Green Party in 1993 to form Alliance '90/The Greens....
, an alliance of three opposition groups in East Germany - Alliance for ChileAlliance for ChileThe Alliance for Chile , also known simply as The Alliance , was a coalition of right-wing Chilean political parties.The Alliance was replaced in 2009 by the Coalition for Change....
, a political coalition that includes Chiles two rightwing parties RN and UDI - Alliance (Sweden), an electoral and governing (since September 2006) political coalition between the Moderate Party, Centre Party, Liberal People's Party and Christian Democrats
- Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
, political party operating in Northern Ireland - Canadian AllianceCanadian AllianceThe Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
, Canadian right-of-centre conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003 - Fijian AllianceFijian AllianceThe Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. Founded in the early 1960s, its leader was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the founding father of the modern Fijian nation...
, a former political party in Fiji - International Alliance of Socialist DemocracyInternational Alliance of Socialist DemocracyThe International Alliance of Socialist Democracy was an organisation founded by Mikhail Bakunin along with 79 other members on October 28, 1868 as an organisation within the International Workingmen's Association. The establishment of the Alliance as a section of the IWA was not accepted by the...
, an organization founded by Mikhail Bakunin - Melanesian Alliance PartyMelanesian Alliance PartyThe Melanesian Alliance Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. The party was co-founded by John Momis and John Kaputin in the late 1970s. At the last legislative elections, 15-29 June 2002, the party is said to have won 3 of 109 seats. The party won only 1 seat of the 109 seats in the...
, a political party in Papua New Guinea - People's Alliance for DemocracyPeople's Alliance for DemocracyThe People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ, Thai Patriots Network or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand. Its leaders include...
, a long-term protest movement in Thailand which is opposed to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters - ProLife AllianceProLife AllianceProLife Alliance is an advocacy group in the United Kingdom, formed in October 1996. It is opposed to human cloning and abortion, opposes experiments on human embryos and also opposes any form of euthanasia. It supports anti-abortion taxation policies and guaranteed maternity and paternity leave...
, a political party in the United Kingdom - SDP-Liberal AllianceSDP-Liberal AllianceThe SDP–Liberal Alliance was an electoral pact formed by the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom which was in existence from 1981 to 1988, when the bulk of the two parties merged to form the Social and Liberal Democrats, later referred to as simply the Liberal...
, electoral alliance of the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom that operated from 1981 to 1988 - The Alliance Party (Malaya)Alliance Party (Malaya)The Alliance Party was a political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1951, it successfully gained the majority of seats available for contest in the first election for the Federal Legislative Council held in 1955 in what was then the British protectorate of the Federation of Malaya.The Alliance...
, the predecessor of the Barisan Nasional political coalition in Malaysia - The Alliance (Hong Kong)The Alliance (Hong Kong)Professional Forum , formerly and still widely known as The Alliance , is a political group in Hong Kong, composed of five members of the Legislative Council who ran as independents in functional constituencies in the 2004 election. Four were members of the so-called "Breakfast Group", led by Eric Li...
, political group in Hong Kong - TongmenghuiTongmenghuiThe Tongmenghui, also known as the Chinese United League, United League, Chinese Revolutionary Alliance, Chinese Alliance and United Allegiance Society, was a secret society and underground resistance movement formed when merging many Chinese revolutionary groups together by Sun Yat-sen, Song...
(or "Revolutionary Alliance"), a Chinese underground resistance movement which operated in Japan from 1905 to 1950 - United Iraqi AllianceUnited Iraqi AllianceThe National Iraqi Alliance , also known as the Watani List, is an Iraqi electoral coalition that contested the Iraqi legislative election, 2010. The Alliance is mainly composed of Shi'a Islamist parties...
, a political coalition in Iraq - United People AllianceUnited People AllianceThe United People Alliance , was an electoral and political coalition between the Portuguese Communist Party and the Portuguese Democratic Movement...
, electoral and political coalition between the Portuguese Communist Party or PCP and the Portuguese Democratic Movement or MDP - National Alliance (disambiguation)National Alliance (disambiguation)National Alliance is the name taken by a number of political parties and organisations around the world:*Anguilla – Anguilla National Alliance*Australia – National Alliance *Bulgaria – Bulgarian National Alliance...
, several political parties - National Democratic Alliance (disambiguation), several political parties
- New Alliance Party (disambiguation)New Alliance Party (disambiguation)New Alliance Party may refer to:* New Alliance Party , a political party in Mexico* New Alliance Party, a former political party in the United States* New Alliance Party -See also:* New Alliance * New Alliance...
, several political parties - Wildrose Alliance Party, a small right-wing political party in Alberta, Canada
- Liberal AllianceLiberal AllianceLiberal Alliance may stand for:*Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, a political grouping in the European Parliament*Liberal Alliance of Montenegro, a political party active in Montenegro...
, a political party in Denmark - The Alliance short for Republican, Ecologist and Social Alliance (ARES) is a federation of centrist political parties in France.
Television, film, and comic books
- The Alliance, a group of aliens and monsters in the Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episode 'The Pandorica OpensThe Pandorica Opens"The Pandorica Opens" is the twelfth episode, and first in a two-part story, in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on 19 June 2010. The Doctor's friends send him a warning; he deals with a message on a cliff, a mysterious box and a love story that...
' - Alliance of TwelveAlliance of TwelveThe Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias...
from the Alias TV series - Alliance (DC Comics)Alliance (DC Comics)The Alliance is a fictional group of comic book extraterrestials published by DC Comics. They first appeared in JLA/Haven: The Arrival #1 , and were created by Ashley-Jayne Nicolaus, Matthew P. Schuster, and Ariel Olivetti....
, an organization of alien freedom fighters from the pages of DC Comics - Anglo-Sino Alliance, powerful government and law-enforcement organization that controls a large sector of colonized "core planets" in the Firefly television series
- Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
, fictional alliance of the countries of Earth in the television series Babylon 5 - Ferengi Alliance, fictional extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe
- Rebel AllianceRebel AllianceThe Alliance to Restore the Republic is an interstellar faction of the fictional universe of Star Wars....
, interstellar political resistance force formed in direct military opposition to the Galactic Empire in the fictional Star Wars universe - The Alliance (The Office episode)The Alliance (The Office episode)"The Alliance" is the fourth episode of the first season of The Office . It was written by Michael Schur and directed by Bryan Gordon. It first aired on April 12, 2005....
, an episode of the television series The Office - The Alliance (professional wrestling), professional wrestling faction which ostensibly consisted of World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling
- Alliance to End HulkamaniaAlliance To End HulkamaniaThe Alliance to End Hulkamania was a professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling in 1996.-History:The Alliance to End Hulkamania was an alliance between the Dungeon of Doom and the Four Horsemen, two of WCW's heel stables, formed in an attempt to get rid of Hulk Hogan...
, professional wrestling stable in World Championship Wrestling - The Alliance (Firefly), from the Firefly television series and the movie Serenity
- Alliance FilmsAlliance FilmsAlliance Films is a major Canadian motion picture distribution/production company, which serves Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.-History:It was formed in 1984 by Stephen Roth, Denis Heroux, John Kemeny, Robert Lantos and Jay...
, motion picture distribution/production company, which serves Canada, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
Video games
- The Alliance, a military, cultural, and economic alliance between various races in the Warcraft series of video games
- The Alliance of Order in WarhammerWarhammer Fantasy (setting)Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
, an alliance of Humans, Elves and Dwarves to counter the Forces of Destruction - Systems Alliance, the representative body of humanity in the Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
series - In Marvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate AllianceMarvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
, the titular Alliance refers to a coalition of heroes that normally work independently of one another, or in separate units.
Business
- Airline allianceAirline allianceAn airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and Oneworld. Alliances also form between cargo airlines, such as that of WOW Alliance, SkyTeam Cargo and ANA/UPS Alliance...
, an agreement between two or more airlineAirlineAn airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s to cooperate on a substantial level. The three largest passenger alliances are the Star AllianceStar AllianceStar Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
, SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
and OneworldOneworldOneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
.
Literature
- Burk, Kathleen and Melvyn Stokes (eds.): The United States and the European Alliance since 1945 (Oxford: Berg, 1999).
- Heuser, Beatrice, "Alliances Bedevilled by History: Franks, Germanics and Anglo-Saxons in the Cold War", in Luciano Tosi (ed): Europe, its Borders and the Others (Naples: Edizione Scientifiche Italiane, 2000), pp.313-349.
- Hunt, Peter: War, Peace, and Alliance in Demostenes' Athens (Cambridge University Press, 2010)
- O'Neill, Robert, Alliances and International Order (1988)
- Phillips, Charles and Alan Axelrod (ed), Encyclopedia of historical treaties and alliances. Vol. 1, From ancient times to World War I (Chicago & London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001)
- Strategies Alliances and Military Power: Changing Roles". With contributions by the Faculty and Staff of the Strategic Studies Institute at the United States Army War College, Carlislse Barracks, Pennsylvania, USA (Leyden: Sijthoff, 1977)
- Weitsman, Patricia A., Dangerous Alliances: Proponents of Peace, Weapons of War (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2004)